As anyone who performs a lot of physical work will attest, nothing beats having the proper tool for a job. The proper tool can save time, save money, produce a higher quality job, reduce damage to equipment, and provide for the increased safety of the worker. One (1) field of work commonly found in the industry, particularly in the petrochemical market, is that of piping work. Flanged piping systems are often found in such environments due to their suitability in high pressure environments, hazardous area usage, and ease of design, installation and repair. In such systems, the flanged joints often have gasketing material which may require periodic replacement, repair or inspection during their life cycle. Currently, high cost hydraulic spreaders are used to separate such piping systems for such work. However, in addition to their high cost, such spreaders are dangerous to use due to possible slippage, take much time to put in place, and occupy a great deal of physical space which is often not readily available in tight piping installations. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which flanged joints on industrial piping systems can easily be separated without the disadvantages as mentioned above. The development of the apparatus herein described fulfills this need.
The apparatus is a mechanical apparatus intended to separate and spread apart flanges used in industrial type piping systems comprised of a screw-driven wedge spreader assembly. This assembly is similar in style and operation to that of a motor vehicle jack system found on later model cars. The jack system provides two jaw assemblies which fit through the flange face area. The jaw assembly is held in place during the prying process by a metal pin which extends through an adjacent pipe flange fastening hole. A restraint strap and a restraining chain are also provided for safety and for ease of use. Once the apparatus has spread apart a pipe flange joint, gasketing material can be changed, a blind flange can be inserted or other repair, maintenance or modification can take place. To remove the apparatus, the screw is simply loosened thus removing pressure from the jaws allowing for removal. It is envisioned that the apparatus would be made available in multiple sizes to fit all diameters of piping flanges.
Several attempts have been made in the past to overcome these problems and provide a means of safely and effectively joining and separating pipe joints and repairing pipe system fittings particularly using a threaded crank shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,984, issued in the name of Ball et al., describes a tool for joining a separating plastic pie and fittings comprising a crank shaft and a pair of clamps which secure to the ends of the pipe sections and fittings utilizing a toggle-type linkage to axially move the pipe sections and fittings toward and away from one another. However, unlike the present apparatus, the Ball tool for joining and separating plastic pipe joints is intended to secure pipe sections and axially draw them together for fastening or away from each other depending on the direction the crank shaft is turned.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,365, issued in the name of Brandt et al., discloses an improved locking puller device comprising a three (3) pivotally mounted jaws and cam ring which moves the jaws together or apart as the cam ring traverses a threaded rod. However, unlike the present apparatus, the Brandt locking puller device lacks the means of applying a spreading force to an object.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,393, issued in the name of Marshall, discloses a pipe fitting assembly tool comprising a pair of clamps having a separate scissor-type handle assembly which draw pipe sections together or apart depending on the movement of the handle assembly. However, unlike the present apparatus, the Marshall pipe fitting assembly tool uses linkages and a lever action to linearly move two (2) clamped sections of pipe for joining.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,607, issued in the name of Southerland, Jr. et al., discloses a tool for installing a gasket and a snap ring comprising a shaft, two (2) plates having a spring therebetween, a loading groove for receiving the snap ring, and a shoulder for holding the gasket. However, unlike the present apparatus, the Sutherland gasket and snap ring installation tool is inserted into a pipe section and retains the snap ring and gasket in place while a second pipe section is connected.
Other known prior art for fastening pipe systems and installing fittings include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,101,904; 6,929,430; and 4,662,055.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and appear to disclose various attempts to secure, align, and fasten pipe section and install fittings; none of the prior art particularly discloses a pipe flange spreading apparatus which provides a means of safely and effectively separate and hold apart pipe flanges in industrial systems for gasket repair and replacement. Accordingly, there exists a need for a lever action pipe flange spreader that operates without the disadvantages as described above.